1 down, 11 to go

As the 1st month of 2012 is coming to a close, I wanted to pause and reflect on the past 30 days.  I continue to be completely amazed at how fast life seems to fly by....and I just keep wondering what, if anything, I can do to help it slow down.....its not that I really want to change anything, I just wish I had a few more minutes in each day to actually slow down and take it all in.

For the past 30 days, my house has been messy.....it needs to be cleaned...a good deep clean, there are lots of clothes that need to be put away, there are new pictures that need to be put into new frames, there are a few boxes of Christmas decorations that still need to be put away in the closet, and there are toys EVERY WHERE!  We must have gotten 50 cars for Christmas....they must be scattered one by one all across the floor!  They bother me most when I step on them...ouch!

As I stop to look around, I quickly see extra clutter, stacks of papers, piles of clothes and (just a few...) dog hairs on the floor....and I get anxious....but, at the same time, I find other more important things to do!  Our Christmas decorations stayed up for one extra weekend because we had a BEAUTIFUL weekend here in early January and instead of taking down the tree, we spent both Saturday and Sunday playing outside.  I don't have any pictures because I didn't slow down long enough to grab the camera!

We've had an early morning football game every Saturday and we've enjoyed family trips to Trader Joes after the games on Saturday.  For the first few weeks, we did a great job of eating healthy and working out......we've got to get back on track....the busy creeps in and that is the first thing that goes away!

I got a little further behind on my blog because we spent MLK weekend having dinner with friends on Friday and hosting my good college friend, Mary for one night on Sunday. We had a short visit but it was great!  We sprang for a sitter on Sunday night so we could go out for a kid free dinner and catch up with her.  Payton and Owen were more excited to be here with Ms. Rachel for sure!

My "Young Mom's" Bible study has resumed on Tuesday nights.  Wednesday nights include dinner at church and Bible Study for Chad.  I went to a pastor lead Bible Study last Wednesday and was disappointed to find it was the last class on the book of John....and that our pastor would be taking a few weeks off and would resume with the Lenten study in a few weeks.  We're already planning to join in on a church wide Lenten small group series.

We have extra piles of clothes because we decided to travel out of town the weekend of the 21st....for a surprise visit to EB to see Chad's family.  More details on that to come!  We enjoyed arriving in EB without the majority of Chad's family having any idea we were there!  Four surprises in one day - Pawpaw, Carson, Meme and Calyn!  We celebrated belated birthdays and enjoyed seeing both Calyn and Carson play basketball on Saturday.  Getting back late on Sunday night just added more clothes to the pile!

Last week, the dirt and piles grew even higher than usual because I traveled out of town again....leaving Chad and the boys behind.  I attended my 3rd Women's Retreat with my church.  Our group uses a resort in Pawley's Island for the weekend.  It was a great time for me and I really enjoyed the deepening of my faith and my friendships!  Four women, two nights and a few emotional sessions can lead to some late nights, so great discussions and long lasting friendships. I am so lucky to have found such wonderful, Christian friends.....and, I can say the same for Chad!  While I was away, Chad spent some time as a "Mt P Mom" and hung out at the playground with a few other Mt P Moms!!  Chad, Payton and Owen headed to DI for Payton's flag football game, followed by time on the playground with Lindsey, Ella & Alex and a very pregnant Emily & Graham.  Chad and Lindsey were really brave and took all 4 kids to Chick fil A for lunch (Matt was home sick).  Payton was very excited to spend some time with his favorite 3 year old girl!  After naps, Chad proved once again that he does much better with the kids than me and headed out to dinner with both boys - they met Andrew, Laura & Charlie for dinner.  Aside from Owen refusing the high chair, I think it went well.

I arrived back home on Sunday around noon - refreshed and renewed and ready to see my boys!  We had a low key Sunday with long afternoon naps and a great Tarheel win.

Those clothes and piles are still waiting on me.....maybe February will be less exciting and I'll have more time to clean and less time to play and make memories with my family.....somehow, I doubt that....hopefully, by the end of February the piles and stacks will at least be made up of different items!  I have to clean up sometime this week.....my mom is coming on Thursday.....she always seems to put my cleaning drive into high gear.....must be the genes, hers not mine!

Dear January, thanks for a wonderful start to 2012...I can't believe we only have one more day together!  As for that last day, I have one little birthday shout out....Happy 21st (+10) Birthday to my favorite college roommate Jenny DW!!!!  Somehow, I doubt January 31st 2012 will be quite as exciting as January 31st 2002 was for all of us.....memories, great memories....but, with children involved, these birthdays seem to be a lot more meaningful!  Happy Birthday Jenny!  Hope its a great one!